Noninvasive biomarkers of endometriosis: myth or reality?
Tea Lanišnik Rižner, Tea Lanišnik Rižner1
1Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia +386 1 5437 657 +386 1 5437 641 tea.lanisnik-rizner@mf.uni-lj.si.
Abstract:
Endometriosis affects 10% of premenopausal women and 35-50% of women with infertility, pelvic pain, or both. At present, endometriosis can only be diagnosed with surgery, where laparoscopy is considered a gold standard. Noninvasive biomarkers are thus urgently needed. In 2010, the peripheral biomarkers of endometriosis were systematically reviewed by May et al. However, with the introduction of '-omics' technologies, we have witnessed immense progress in biomarker discovery, which now calls for an overview of recent studies. This report looks at potential blood and urine biomarkers of endometriosis published in the last 3 years. The current status of noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers of endometriosis is discussed, with the limitations of these studies identified and recommendations for future biomarker discovery provided.
